Alameda Ballet Academy

I decided to try the summer teen program. That was a mistake. After the first class, I had health issues that did not allow me to attend the classes. Being that I only was able to attend one class, I asked for a refund. I tried to explain, but they were extremely unaccommodating. They said that I should have filled out a form. How the heck was I supposed to fill out a form while in the hospital? I had other issues to worry about.If this was not bad enough, this program was not even as described and mainly consisted of little children and not teens. They started ignoring my emails after I tried to explain my situation. Dance 10 was a lot nicer. These people are extremely greedy and do not care about their students. They just want money.Avoid this studio at all costs.

This kids are cute but unfortunately the instruction was just alright, and they use hard sell techniques.The classes did not appear to have been thoughtfully planned out before each class and the parent visit day felt haphazardly done. The children did not seem to learn much in the months they were there.There also turned out to be many hidden costs aside from the outfits, bags and shoes, such as a spring recital (not in Alameda) which you learn about later (with additional costs for participation, costume, photography, recital tickets, flower bouquets etc which they pressure you into purchasing e.g. by parading the children during class to show them what costumes they would be wearing if they participated, and measuring everyone regardless of whether or not you are participating thus making it more difficult for parents to explain if you can't do the recital). Overall I really wanted to like ABA, however selling was prioritized above the children's long term love of dance. I appreciate the school needs to make a profit as a business, however I would have been more persuaded if costs were transparent and if they did not reduce themselves to using unkind hard sell techniques especially with young learners. Thank you.

I wanted to update my review from 2013, as I remain a staunch supporter of the Alameda Ballet Academy as a parent. My daughter is in ballet 3 and, at this point, I'm really starting to see the payoffs of keeping her in this traditional program. She now has a community of friends that she has come to love seeing in class. They have really come together and support each other in ballet and outside of the classes. She has always engaged in the practice of ballet and Abra has instilled some amazing values in the kids and I am seeing the payoff. My daughter is not trying to be the prima ballerina at SF Ballet or anything. But, she engages in the daily practice that has helped her physically and mentally. I've seen kids go through the school toward dance scholarships and they have been supported all the way through without being told that they have to have a certain body type. It's refreshing to see students of all shapes and sizes learning ballet. Yes, the program is rigorous, but not in a demeaning way. Abra believes that the students rise to the occasion and she expects commitment from them. After all, if we are sending them to learn dance, they should be learning dance. I hear snarky comments from people who often don't even have kids in the program so I think there are a lot of myths people have when it comes to classical training. But, trust me, it's easier for a dancer to learn other types of dance later on than it is for someone without the training from an early age to turn to classical ballet. One parent commented about no dancing in the lobby and the reason for that is when classes change, it's filled with kids. They want quiet in the lobby area so they can start and finish on time and as a parent on a schedule, I appreciate that. Some of the other comments about body image comments or parents critiquing, I don't get as parents are only allowed to watch classes on specific visiting days and we are not allowed to talk or give comments. That is just whack! Just not our experience AT ALL!!! You will be expected to show up. There will be rules. Not a bad thing. If your child wants to do more with dance, there are WAY harder, tougher, and gruff teachers down the road! For me as a parent, ABA has given me a community of parents who support their kids, but who also step up when it comes to supporting the school and the productions. It makes for a professional outcome. When my daughter was 4 we put her in summer camps all around the island and she chose ABA saying "I want to learn REAL ballet." And she's stuck it out ever since. This is her "sport." Trust the classical process that has worked for more than a century! It's a great program!

I've been taking the adult classes here for about a year now, and I couldn't be happier. Julie is one of the kindest and most attentive people/instructors I've ever known.Growing up in the Central Valley, I took ballet regularly, but being nearly in the middle of nowhere, the instructors weren't really ballet dancers and were more competitive types who focused on jazz and contemporary. Julie is a true professional and ballerina who knows what she's doing and is so fun to be around and watch. Her dedication to the art and her classes is unmatched.The class environment (of Intro 1 & 2) is super welcoming and friendly and the corrections are always done in a way to help, rather than insult. I used to dread and fear corrections, but since coming to ABA that fear has long disappeared. So far, I've tried all the adult evening classes. The Beginning/intermediate feels more like an intermediate/advance class, and unfortunately, the few times I've gone it's been cliquey and some people aren't too friendly. However, attitudes and egos aside, I really hope to be at that level one day so I can do the more complex floor and barre work. It's been a year of correcting bad habits and basically learning again from scratch, but there's nowhere else I'd rather be. Seriously! Coming to class twice a week is the best way to decompress after a stressful day at work, and I wish there were additional classes on weekends (I would stay all day to dance if I could!).

Alameda Ballet Academy is an amazing school for people with a real interest in ballet. My daughter has been at ABA for longer than I can even remember. We have tried other dance schools, but she never found the rigor, discipline and intensity that she thrives on like she does at ABA. All of her teachers have been awesome, since pre-ballet on up. She sees Ms. Abra as her "guiding light", and the joy and energy she finds in ballet is priceless.

My 4-year-old daughter attended a week-long ballet camp at ABA during the summer of 2019. She absolutely loved it and gained a lot of independence and confidence by participating. She constantly asks me when she can go back to ballet camp!

My daughter has been attending classes here for nearly a year. We couldn't be happier with the program. Ms. Abra, other instructors and staff are detail-oriented, passionate about what they do and attentive. We've never felt unwelcome (which has been my experience multiple times at Dance 10, another local dance school, the previous year). The greatest feature is instructors here take classical ballet seriously, so you won't see little kids twirling around aimlessly while the teacher instructs from afar. Expect the instructor and the assistant to correct students' postures and positions during the entire class, while encouraging their growth and keeping them engaged. They are truly dedicated to students and the art and they've nurtured the love of ballet in my child.

Staff is terrible with children and are arrogant with parents. Children are not allowed to take a quick break for water. Horrible experience every time we go. DO NOT GO HERE

Ms. Karin is an excellent teacher. She is kind to the students and help them along their way. Ms. Abra on the other hand, likes to embarrass and humiliate children if they have to use the bathroom on the first day of class.

Today Abra told my 6-year daughter to leave the academy and told us that she needs to sign up for "tutu school" because Abra perceives my daughter has a short attention span. I quote, she told my wife, when my daughter was also present, "not sure how your daughter does in school....." You could see from other reviewers' comments about Abra but that was very disrespectful, and she is inept with kids, and she crossed the line when she did that in front of my child....Unbelievable.